The End and the Beginning

Greetings on this the Saturday of the Thirty-fourth Week in Ordinary Time
Readings: Dn 7:15-27; Dn 3:82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87; Lk 21:34-36
Notes: None.

Summary

We draw to a close the readings between Christ the King Sunday and the vigil of Advent. Our year ends with the admonishment to be alert for the Second Coming of the LORD. Our New liturgical year begins the same way yet to be alert to the First Coming of the LORD. The key element is to be alert to the moving and inspiration of the divine one. He is always moving in the lives of men. These two key moments are defining moments for us: the Beginning and the End. Today we finish the End. Tomorrow we start the beginning.

Reflection

In our gospel portion today Jesus points out three dangers of a life lived without a spiritual awareness which Jesus describes as drowsiness.

• Carousing – to carouse means to live a life without consideration for others. A simple example would be to play loud music while little children are trying to sleep. There are more substantial examples. Living a life in a loud and noisy way regardless of the needs of others makes us deaf to the sound of the cry of the poor and the cry of injustice that flourishes while we carouse and be disinterested.
• Drunkenness – to be intoxicated is to be without self-mastery. Drunkenness is the state of not being responsible for self and acting in a way at the lowest levels of our being: brutish and animalistic (the animal side of humans, as opposed to the intellectual or spiritual). To be beastly.
• Anxieties of daily life – is the most difficult of all. To allow the anxiety to determine the thoughts and actions of the day, each day, every day.

These three things, if allowed to master us, will result in that day catching you by surprise like a trap.

Personal Reflection

Of these three distractions anxiety of life is my most difficult to master. There seems to always be something to be anxious about. And after one thing is resolved another takes its place. Ugh! I do gather strength from the readings of sacred scripture, proper rest, exercise and balanced meals. Most of all there is the need to remember all the good the LORD has done and be at rest in the LORD.

Pope Francis Speaks

On the first Sunday of Advent, Pope Francis reminded Christians that an essential ingredient for living an alert and joyful life is prayer.

“Be awake, guard your heart,” the Pope said in his message before the Angelus Nov. 28. “And let’s add an essential ingredient: the secret to being watchful is prayer.”

“In fact, Jesus says: ‘Keep awake at all times praying’ (Luke 21:36). It is prayer that keeps the lamp of the heart burning. Especially when we feel that enthusiasm is cooling, prayer rekindles it, because it brings us back to God, to the center of things,” he added.

The Pope also emphasized that “prayer awakens the soul from sleep and focuses it on what matters, on the end of existence.”

“Even on the busiest days, let’s not neglect prayer,” he urged, recommending an easy prayer to say during Advent: “Come, Lord Jesus, come.”

“Let’s repeat this prayer throughout the day, and the soul will remain alert,” he said.

Source: https://www.ncregister.com/cna/pope-s-sunday-angelus-be-awake-the-secret-to-being-watchful-is-prayer

Call to Action

Come to Mass. If it has been a while you will find the refreshment you need. A renewal at advent. An awareness of our End and of a new Beginning. Always in the LORD.

First Reading
Then the kingship and dominion and majesty of all the kingdoms under the heavens shall be given to the holy people of the Most High, Whose Kingdom shall be everlasting: all dominions shall serve and obey him.”

Responsorial
Give glory and eternal praise to him.

Gospel Acclamation
Be vigilant at all times and pray That you may have the strength to stand before the Son of Man.

Gospel
Jesus said to his disciples: “Beware that your hearts do not become drowsy from carousing and drunkenness and the anxieties of daily life, and that day catch you by surprise like a trap.

Peace be with you,
Deacon Gerry